Triple H Calls Out Stephen A. Smith After Seeing Who He Named The WWE GOAT

WWE legend Triple H has accused TV personality Stephen A. Smith of using the classic "bait and switch" after the popular sports commentator ranked his top five wrestlers of all time.

The debate regarding who is the greatest to step inside the ring is a never-ending one.

For some, the name Stone Cold Steve Austin springs to mind following his legendary run with the company. Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and The Rock are also popular picks, not to mention The Undertaker.

But how does Stephen A Smith see it? Ahead of the WWE Wrestlepalooza event on ESPN, the TV host welcomed Triple H to the First Take studio as they discussed the GOAT debate.

Smith ranked his favourite tag team, the Road Warriors, at number five before picking Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson at four, Hulk Hogan at three, and Ric Flair at two.

Then, much to the disbelief of Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, the commentator would crown Bill Goldberg as his number one.

Moments later and the WWE legend made his feelings clear. “What he does for a profession is piss people off, right?” said Levesque.

“So what he did is he bait and switched it. He set up a list that is arguably accurate: the Road Warriors, The Rock, Hogan, Flair. He left out a few because it’s just a top five.

"But then what he does is he comes in and he ‘Stephen A’s it,’ and he goes Goldberg at number one, because he knows that is the name that is going to piss off the maximum amount of people.”

Triple H reiterated that he wasn’t trying to disrespect Goldberg’s legacy.

“I’m not going to say he’s not great," he added. "I love Bill. I think he’s a great performer, had great moments in this business, but putting him at one…”

TRIPLE H IS PISSED THAT GOLDBERG IS NUMBER 1 ON STEPHEN A SMITH LIST

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO#WrestlePalooza

(First Take ESPN)

pic.twitter.com/aYHToEIpgy

— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) September 19, 2025

Triple H picks which current WWE superstar he’d want to wrestle

Speaking to Good Morning America ahead of Wrestlepalooza, Levesque was asked which wrestler he would want to wrestle if he could step into the ring again.

“If I got back in at this point I’d be wrestling Father Time, is what I’d be doing. Nobody, mostly me, wants to see me back in the ring," he said.

"It’s hard for me to say. I think in this moment right now, a current Superstar, if I could go back in time and do what I did at my peak, it would be Roman Reigns."

Triple H added: He’s a great guy, incredible talent, incredible performer, out making movies right now, still a WWE Superstar, but branching out into Hollywood. He’s gonna be massive.”